Blog

The summer is over and school is back in session. For some kids this indicates starting a new school in a new city. Starting over is always a bit daunting, especially if you tend to be a bit of a introvert and spent your early years home-schooled by a priest of Azeroth. For Raven, that is only part of the problem.

SPOILER WARNING

After Tim Drakes "death," he is really in an interdemensional prison, the Titan's have split up and Raven needs a new place to crash. Having recently found out that her mom had a sister and that she has a family in San Francisco, Raven asks if they wouldn't mind taking her in for awhile.

Yah, take that Nina Garcia

Raven finds herself confused as to how to deal with a whole new set of familial relationships. She has some culture shock too... she never spent much time with devout Catholics, for obvious reasons.

This is how I feel at every Thanksgiving.

Raven's nightmares follow her to her new bed though. Her step siblings seek to bring her death and destruction. They swear they will find her. This results in some rather loud night terrors which have her new family concerned.

It's sooo hard to get rid of Trigon in the morning.

The next morning Raven set's off to school with her new alibi as the lonely goth kid from New York... which seems an easy role for her to play. Wonder Girl updated the registrar for the high school crafting an immaculate back story. But that doesn't really help her navigating tricky social situations, especially when it seems that there is a telepath nearby causing her some discomfort.

Man... good thing I don't have Raven's powers.

The psychic stranger seems to be a fellow student. She is not only afflicting Raven, but other students as well. When Raven finally confronts her, she is knocked down as the mystery student escapes. The first book concludes with the mystery girl seemingly summoning Raven's powers to her while Raven is racked in pain in her bed.

Don't leave me. I can change!

What can I say. I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. Marv Wolfman has crafted a compelling narrative with one of the most underused Titans, despite her current popularity. Wolfman combines high school coming of age tropes with Raven's sardonic wit while blending in a magical mystery. With so many story elements it is easy to get bogged down in minutia, yet Wolfman doesn't slow his pace nor dialog quips. The pacing is excellent, unlike another book I read this week.

Wolfman's writing alone would be reason enough to pick up this book, but Alisson Borges' art sends this book into must own territory. Her characters expressions are vivid. The magical sequences are lurid. The entire book exudes a charm that you wouldn't expect from a book about a half-demon. Simply masterful.

The only bad thing I can say is that I wish this was more than a six issue series. I'm sure by the time the sixth book is in Tim Drake will be found and the Titans will be back to their old habits. Until then, I will enjoy the "hell" out of this book.